Exploring Artistic Innovation at Huichang Theatre Village: A New Cultural Hub

Huichang Theatre Village: A Cultural Oasis

Located in the mountains of Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province, the Huichang Theatre Village might seem an unlikely venue for an international theatre festival, yet it’s an exhilarating hub of artistic energy. My journey from Maryland to this remote community took three days, a trek that underscored both its geographical seclusion and the vibrant cultural interplay unfolding here. This summer, I, along with director Travis Preston and stage designer Christopher Barreca, were privileged to be the inaugural artists-in-residence during Season 004 of the festival, from May 29 to June 7. We not only developed but also premiered our adaptation of

Hedda Gabler, setting the stage for the festival's kickoff. Our residency went beyond mere production; it involved a series of public events designed to engage the community. I hosted a lecture on creative expression alongside a poetry reading featuring work from my solo art exhibition, “Brushstrokes of the Unseen: A Journey Through Art and Poetry,” open from May 27 to August 8. Travis led a thought-provoking dialogue with acclaimed director Stan Lai, focusing on the intersections of ancient and modern theatrical elements in Huichang. These events fostered a profound exploration of theatre, visual arts, and cross-cultural exchanges that could inspire the next generation of artists. What stands out about the Huichang Theatre Festival is how it offers artists a rare chance to create bold new work within a context rich with cultural resonance. The interactions we had there testify to a successful framework for impactful engagement with the community, where art transcends traditional boundaries.

Three Friends, One Spirit: The Collaborative Journey

Our connection to Huichang began in October 2025, when Travis and I explored the idea of co-sponsoring a production for the upcoming festival season. Recognizing the synergy with our newly formed initiative, Three Friends/One Spirit, we saw this collaboration as a natural extension of our mission: to cultivate a lively environment for international artistic dialogue. Central to this initiative is the belief that the performing arts can unite and transform artists and audiences alike. Our vision resonated deeply with Stan Lai, who also regards Huichang Theatre Village as a fertile ground for innovative artistic endeavors and creative dialogue. The symbolic significance of Huichang—its name reflecting the convergence of three rivers—mirrored our collaborative aims. This is where diverse paths intersect, driven by a shared passion for artistic exploration. The region's rich cultural backdrop, deeply rooted in Hakka traditions and historical events like the Long March, added layers of meaning to our work. The theatre village thrives within the oldest quarter of the town, featuring remnants of a Song Dynasty wall alongside venues and spaces dedicated to the performing arts. Stan Lai, after decades of seeking ties to his ancestral home, alongside his brother Bob, has transformed Huichang into an artistic hotspot, supported by local and provincial officials, visionary architects, and community leaders, culminating in the first Huichang Theatre Festival in early 2024. Today, Huichang Theatre Village boasts multiple venues, a range of outdoor stages scattered throughout its picturesque streets, artist residency programs, and China’s first technical theatre school focused exclusively on training backstage professionals. The Theatre Above Training Center, integral to this mission, serves as an additional resource for nurturing artistic talent at all stages. During our residency, living in Huichang deeply enriched our work experience. Days were filled with riverside strolls, temple visits, and engaging conversations with welcoming locals who made us feel like part of the community. The village pulsates with a vibrant spirit, where theatre, music, and daily life intermingle. On weekends, the plazas overflowed with families and youth, many in elaborate costumes, embodying a mix of tradition and modernity. Local karaoke artists filled the air with their heartfelt melodies, creating a unique backdrop to our artistic journey. As foreign artists in Huichang, we drew both curiosity and camaraderie from local residents. Those informal yet meaningful interactions—over shared meals or casual chats during our strolls—highlighted how theatre thrives on human connections. In such a merging of identities, we experienced firsthand how art, history, and community can forge something larger than ourselves.

Reimagining 'Hedda Gabler'

Selecting a production for the Huichang Theatre Village posed a significant creative challenge. We needed a play that could bridge cultural divides while inviting new interpretations; we settled on Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler. While works from Shakespeare and Chekhov resonate more with local audiences, Travis viewed Ibsen as an unparalleled opportunity for cultural exploration and reimagination. For years, Travis has aimed to reshape conventional approaches to Ibsen's works. He perceives Hedda Gabler not just as an intricate drama but as a piece steeped in myth and psychological depth. In the untainted environment of Huichang, where actors had limited preconceived notions of Ibsen, we found fertile ground for revisiting and rediscovering the play. Instead of direct emulation of existing interpretations, Travis encouraged our performers to explore their instincts and insights. The design elements echoed this philosophy as Chris Barreca steered the visual concept away from realism. A colossal empty picture frame dominated our set, while a grand piano, suspended precariously, suggested the weight of Hedda's haunting past. Convergence of contemporary theatrical practices, such as live video displays, coexisted ambitiously with Ibsen’s late 19th-century text, revealing its unexpected relevance for today’s audience. Our ensemble reflected the spirit of exploration that defines Huichang Theatre Village. We conducted nationwide auditions, assembling a cast selected purely for their artistic potential across various backgrounds—some were from prestigious theatre companies, while others hailed from regional ensembles or were even from Los Angeles. The goal was never fame but a commitment to collaborative exploration and creativity. Actors frequently remarked on the unprecedented creative freedom within our rehearsal space. Rather than imposing fixed interpretations, Travis enabled a dynamic environment for discovery. Rehearsals morphed into explorative investigations, where actors were encouraged to push boundaries, pose challenging questions, and unearth truthful emotional expressions. For Travis, the director's role is to cultivate an atmosphere where creativity flourishes, knowing the right time to step in, step back, or allow for unexpected revelations. This collaborative ethos extended beyond performance. Together, we painstakingly revisited the Mandarin translation line by line, working alongside bilingual actors to craft a language that resonated meaningfully with contemporary Chinese audiences—all while staying true to Ibsen's original themes. The final script emerged as a collective endeavor, enriched by the diverse voices of the ensemble. Our six-week rehearsal transformed Hedda Gabler into a genuinely communal creation, with artists like composer Kwan Fai Lam, videographer Ray Sun, and others intertwining music, video, and design alongside the cast. Living and working closely amid the scenic beauty of Huichang blurred the lines between artistic practice and everyday life. The pace of city life receded, allowing us to deepen our bonds through shared meals, conversations, and scenic riverside walks. By the open of Hedda Gabler, the production transcended a mere artistic interpretation of a classic. It embodied multiple convergences: the fusion of artists from varied backgrounds, the blending of contemporary theatrical techniques with a canonical narrative, and the emergence of an ancient riverside locale as a fresh international creative hub. As our time in Huichang drew to a close, the village’s motto lingered with us: “Sometimes it’s good to be so far, with theatre so near.” We embarked on our journey to create a play, but we left with invaluable lessons about artistic collaboration, where the interplay of place, process, and community is central to the work itself. Excitingly, following our impactful performances at the Huichang Festival, Hedda Gabler is scheduled to begin its next chapter on January 8, 2027, at Theatre Above in Shanghai, followed by a nationwide tour. Judy Yin Shih, PhD (石 茵), is currently co-chair of the advisory board at the Johns Hopkins Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. In addition to her role as a production dramaturg, she has authored three books blending her paintings and poetry, including Brushstrokes of the Unseen: A Journey Through Art and Poetry.